UN resolution supporting gay rights sends welcome message

Editorial

THE ISSUE: UN approves gay rights resolution.

June 23, 2011

At a time when the gay community is having a difficult enough time winning equal rights battles on multiple fronts in America, the "land of the free," the significance of the United Nations Human Rights Council's resolution supporting gay rights around the globe cannot be understated.

In a close but historic vote of 23-19, the council passed a resolution condemning discrimination based on sexual orientation, forming a panel to review instances of discrimination and commissioning a report on the challenges faced by the world's LGBT community.

Considering homosexuality is a crime in 76 countries, and with harassment against gays even more commonplace, this statement by the world's alliance damning abuses against gays sends a resounding message that gay rights is gaining an important, and long overdue, foothold on the world stage.

The resolution comes as gay rights continues to be a polarizing issue for many UN nations, but it also suggests that the battle may be shifting in favor of acceptance and tolerance. That is a victory for anyone who supports equality, fairness — and human decency.

It's worth noting, too, that while the UN resolution was introduced by South Africa, its passage had been heavily lobbied for by the Obama administration, which made the UN resolution a top foreign policy priority after securing a key victory for the gay community in its own country with Congress' vote to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" ban on gays in the military.

The administration's position in itself shows significant traction for gay rights. Under President George W. Bush, the United States refused to support a similar resolution introduced by France at the UN General Assembly in 2008.

Gay rights efforts still have a long way to go, even here in a nation that supports equality for all. Gay marriage continues to be a wedge issue across America, and many communities still refuse to include sexual orientation in their equal opportunity clauses.

But the UN resolution stands as a beacon of hope that the day when gays can live without fear of discrimination and abuse may be closer today than ever before.